OB Practice, VBAC, and Doula ?

jess478

My doctor is very much pro VBAC.  She is a member of a practice with 9 doctors which means she may not be on duty when I go into labor.  I really want to stick with her for this pregnancy.  At one appointment I asked her how the other doctors feel about VBAC and she said that they have varying levels of comfort with it. 

I am doing a lot of reading to educate myself, but I'm afraid that in the moment I could easily be pushed into a procedure by a doctor with a low comfort level.  Is this something a Doula could help me with?  I just don't know if that kind of support is beyond what a Doula does.

Have any of you dealt with a practice where not all the doctors are 100% comfortable with VBAC?  What has your experience been?

papagena

I'll be honest, the OB "you get who is on call" thing increased my desire to go to a FP doctor and not move to another OB in my practice.  With the FP Dr, you're more likely to get them for your birth (only time mine isn't on call for OB patients is when she's out of town). 

A doula (from my understanding, this will be my first birth working with one) is there to help you ask questions (in addition to being labor support), but can't ask questions for you or obviously make any medical decision.  I'd be concerned that the OB would possibly move so fast that in some of those situations that I'd still be steamrolled (kind of how I felt with the OB for DS).  I can't speak from experience. 

chicsub

I go to midwives, but they are in practice w. 4 OBs with differing beliefs on VBACs.  I really like my midwife, the hospital is 7 min. away, etc.  That being said, I'm switching to a midwife group about an hour away that is really supportive and getting a doula as well.  I'm just not willing to take a chance and want to know that if I end up with a c/s it wasn't because of the provider and was actually necessary.  Honestly with so many OBs in that practice I'd be nervous.  At the very least I'd get a doula and a very experienced one at that, not just a hand holder.